


An Inconvenient Love Potion

by ladyroxanne21



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M, love potion, no smut!, sorry...
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-03
Updated: 2019-07-03
Packaged: 2020-06-03 14:05:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19465546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyroxanne21/pseuds/ladyroxanne21
Summary: When Harry sees Draco at the Leaky Cauldron, Draco is slipped a Love Potion that throws their lives into Chaos.





	An Inconvenient Love Potion

**Author's Note:**

> I know what y'all are thinking, but it's not that...

Harry couldn't help but look over to where Draco was sitting by himself in the corner of the Leaky Cauldron. Harry was there trying to unwind after a particularly trying day. He had just resigned as an Auror because he'd realized that the job was all stress with very little reward, and that was taking into consideration the fact that he'd managed to help capture all the Death Eaters who'd succeeded in escaping from justice after the Final Battle.

Meanwhile, he couldn't really discern why Draco was in the Leaky. The man looked – bloody gorgeous, actually – but aside from that, he looked like he was brooding about something and trying to escape his thoughts in the bottom of a mug of ale. For a moment, Harry sort of wished they had the kind of relationship where he could just go over and ask Draco why he looked so morose.

But he was dead certain that wouldn't go over very well.

Still... He  _could_ always pick a fight. The two of them were very good at fighting, and if nothing else, doing so might take Draco's mind off his concerns. It might be worth a shot.

Before Harry could fully make up his mind, an already harassed looking waitress trudged over to Draco and tried to give him a becoming smile.

“Alright there luv? Can I get you a refill?”

“Yes you may, but try to find something better than this swill,” Draco replied with a sneer.

The waitress looked ready to roll her eyes. “That's our most popular ale, I assure you, it's not swill.”

“It most certainly is! And I would appreciate it if your boss made an effort to cater to more refined tastes. A good Albariño would add a little refinement to the wine list.”

“I'll let him know,” she said in a dry tone that suggested she was biting back a few cutting remarks. As she walked away, she was grumbling under her breath. Harry couldn't hear everything she said, but he did hear this bit as she passed him: “Entitled rich bastard! Thinks he's better than everyone else. Deserves to be taught a lesson!”

This made Harry wonder what she planned to do, and if he still had any sort of obligation to stop her now that he was no longer an Auror. With a shrug, he decided that unless she threatened the pointy git's life, he'd just ignore it and let things play out.

Even so, he couldn't help but watch as the waitress returned to the counter, carefully selected something that would hopefully appeal to Draco – a nice India Pale Ale that Harry rather liked – and then poured it in a tall mug. She took a quick look around and subtly turned so that her back was blocking Draco's view if he should happen to be looking at her, but Harry could still see her side clearly enough to see her hands. She made a very tiny movement that Harry almost missed, pulling a vial out of her cleavage and emptying it into the mug.

Then she turned around with a chuffed smile and strutted to Draco until she could grandly present him with the mug.

“So sorry about the inferior quality of your first drink. I do hope this pleases you better.”

Draco took the drink warily and sniffed it. Apparently finding the drink acceptable, he took a sip. His face had an appraising look on it for a moment before he took another sip. Then he gave her a tiny smile.

“Yes, much better, erm...”

“Amanda,” the waitress replied to the unasked question with a tiny smile of her own. Then she nodded to him respectfully and walked away.

Harry waited to see if the vial had contained a poison or other potion. He happened to have a Bezoar on him, so he was confident that Draco wouldn't die, and also, Auror or not, he'd promptly arrest her in that instance. But after several long and tense moments, in which Draco looked almost pleased as he drained his mug, there was no sigh of poison, so Harry relaxed.

But then Draco stood up as the waitress came back to check on him again. He pulled her into his arms and brushed her hair away from her eyes. She looked extremely pleased with herself and grinned at him flirtily.

“Amanda, such a lovely name,” Draco announced before demanding a thorough kiss from her. The whole pub fell silent in shock for a moment. Not only was kissing like that not generally done in public, but this was the only son of a prominent and wealthy wizarding family... kissing a muggleborn!

Amanda purred from happiness and ran her hands through Draco's hair. After a moment, he pulled back and grinned at her. She practically glowed as she returned his grin.

“I know this is rather sudden, but would you marry me?” Draco asked, stroking a hand up and down her back.

Harry felt his mouth drop open in surprise for a moment before remembering that he'd seen her put something in Draco's drink. “Ah, a love potion,” he whispered to himself.

“Of course I'll marry you!” Amanda accepted gleefully, shifting her arms so that she could hug him tight.

No one knew quite how to react. Slowly, as the couple resumed their shocking kissing, the other patrons started to clap and offer soft congratulations. They felt that it had to be a good sign for a Malfoy to choose a muggleborn as his bride.

Even more slowly, Harry felt a frown grow deeper across his face. Sure, this potentially COULD teach Draco an important lesson, but was it really right to just let some witch ruin his life like this for nothing more than a tiny bit of revenge over a slight?

Biting his lip, Harry decided to keep an eye on them and simply wait until the potion wore off.

***

Harry placed the clay on the wheel and tapped it to center it. He'd taken Ginny's advice on attempting to relax by taking a class to make a simple pot, even though he hadn't thought for a moment that it would help. She'd suggested that he learn a hobby to occupy his mind, and he'd scoffed, assuming that there wasn't a hobby on Earth relaxing enough to stop him from thinking about how he'd ruined his life by quitting his promising career as an Auror.

Taking a breath to shake off his negative thoughts, he dipped his hands in the bucket of water and made sure they were nice and wet. Then he placed them on the clay and started the wheel spinning fast. With a slight but firm forward push, Harry shaped the clay into a bit of a column before flattening it – sort of ensuring that the clay was nice and mixed with no air pockets. Once it was ready, he pressed his thumbs into the center, and then with a finger and his other hand for support, opened up a well going to about a half inch from the bottom.

With a surprising amount of concentration – considering that he really thought he'd dwell on his problems – Harry shaped and molded the clay into a rather nice pot. The size and shape of it would make for a lovely flower pot – and since he was making so many of them in an attempt to keep his mind quiet, he might just have to give the lot of them to Neville for his flower shop.

Once ready, he stopped the spinning and cut the pot off the wheel, setting it aside until he had a few more to fill the kiln he'd bought the moment he realized that this hobby of his actually worked decently well to help him relax.

NOT that he planned to tell Ginny that she was right! They were broken up for good now and there was no need for her to have cause to say I told you so!

After making several more pots, he had enough to fire – once the clay had a bit of time to dry so that the moisture didn't cause cracking. Calling it a day, Harry went to the kitchen, absently scratching his bum as he went, not noticing that he left a clay smudge on his naked flesh. In his kitchen, he just barely remembered to wash his hands before frying up a simple dish of potatoes, sausage, and eggs.

As the potatoes cooked, he grabbed the Prophet that had been delivered that morning but he hadn't read yet.

_Prestigious Malfoy wedding moving forward as planned. After a shockingly sudden proposal in the Leaky Cauldron just two weeks ago, a date has already been set for a mere two tiny weeks from now. This haste is near unheard of in Pureblood circles and makes one wonder if a certain blessed event has already occurred to trigger such speediness._

_That said, since the story first broke, a surprising amount of our readers have written in to congratulate young Mr. Malfoy on not just his impending marriage, but his wisdom in choosing a muggleborn witch – which could potentially heal the rift between the two sides of the war created not just by You-Know-Who, but going back all the way to Grindelwald._

_Dear Draco Malfoy, we here at the Daily Prophet congratulate you on your engagement and wish you and your bride a long and happy marriage._

Harry tossed the paper aside with a frustrated sigh. He'd really thought that the potion would have worn off by now and that the witch would have had her revenge, but it seems that she might actually be waiting to humiliate him in public on their wedding day. It irked Harry to no end that anyone felt this sort of thing was acceptable.

The trouble was that he didn't know how to go about fixing the situation before it was too late. It's not like he could just show up at Malfoy Manor. Not only would he not be let in the front gate, but on the off chance he was, what the bloody hell could he say? Draco was under the influence of a love potion, and so, even if Harry explained the situation to the confounded man, the best he could hope for would be to be thrown out on his arse rather than hexed into oblivion.

With another sigh, Harry grabbed his ready to eat dinner (that Kreacher had finished for him in his distraction), poured it from the skillet onto a plate, and then sat down to tuck in. He barely got three bites in when a magnificent Eagle Owl arrived with a fancy envelope containing a letter written in a script so elegant that Harry almost couldn't read it.

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_I know you will probably think of this as some sort of poorly conceived and ill-tasting joke, but my husband and I are desperate. Our son is being enslaved by a Love Potion! We have no proof of it, and our subtle attempts to make Draco aware of the problem have been rebuked, but we are certain. This witch that plans to marry our son does not actually love him and is simply using him for some ulterior purpose. We hope that you can help us bring our son to his senses. PLEASE? I understand that it is we who owe YOU a life debt or two, but we have no one else we can turn to. Please help us?_

_Sincerely and with deep hope,_

_Narcissa Malfoy_

Harry ran a hand through his hair and sighed. Well, it seems like he'd make it through the front gate after all, but he had NO IDEA how he could succeed where Draco's parents had failed. Still, the idea of NOT helping never occurred to him for even a second.

*****

When Harry was ready in a reasonably appropriate outfit, he Apparated to the gate of Malfoy Manor – a little surprised that he could visualize it so clearly – and was astonished to see an elf waiting for him. The elf bowed deeply and with a large amount of genuine respect.

“Mr. Potter, so honored to meet you. My Master and Mistress are waiting for you, if you'll allow me...”

Harry hesitated for a second before taking the hand the elf held out for him. He couldn't help but flash back to Dobby and it unnerved him more than a little. Still, he was a Gryffindor and bravery was practically his middle name.

The elf wasted no time in Apparating them to a small sitting room where Lucius and Narcissa were having a spot of tea. Lucius looked reluctant and gloomy to have Harry in his house, but Narcissa lit up brilliantly at the sight of him.

“Welcome, Mr. Potter!” She greeted with a genuine smile. “I'm so glad you came! Please have a seat. Tea?”

“That would be lovely,” Harry replied as he took a seat next to her, across from Lucius. “And you can call me Harry,” he permitted even as an elf poured him a delicate cup of tea and conjured up a small plate of fancy looking biscuits. Harry tried one that looked like a strawberry, delighted to find it as delicious as it looked.

Narcissa purred happily. “I'm so honored that you trusted us enough to not even question if we had spiked your refreshments somehow.”

Harry winced a little and gave her a bit of a sheepish grin. “Well, er, I took precautions, so...”

“Ah, well, rest assured that we are so thankful to you for saving our son from an out of control Fiendfyre that we promise to NEVER cause you intentional harm for the rest of our lives.”

Lucius looked like he would rather swallow live wasps than admit it, but he let out a heavy sigh and said: “Yes. On the life of my honored ancestors and my cherished son, I promise to never try to harm you in any way.”

Harry was gobsmacked! He really assumed that the Malfoys would try to ignore their history and pretend like nothing odd had ever happened. Not knowing what to say, he simply shrugged.

Moving on, Narcissa took Harry's left hand in both of hers. “Listen, I know you have no reason to help us, but we cannot think of anyone else that could get through to our son. Even his best friends – who have also expressed concerns about this sudden marriage – are taking the stance that they'll support him in any decision, and thus, won't dare risk provoking Draco's wrath. And he is ever so tetchy about any slight perceived criticism of his chosen bride.”

Harry used his free hand to unconsciously mess up his hair. “Er... What makes you think that I would be able to get through to him?” And since they didn't know he'd witnessed the event, he also added: “And come to think of it, why are you so certain he's under the influence of a Love Potion?”

The couple exchanged a significant look. After a heavy pause, Lucius gave his wife a single nod of permission. Narcissa returned her attention to Harry with a forced smile.

“We know our son very well. Much better than he probably likes, Mr. Pott – Harry. And... Well... He's... He's not generally, erm... _interested_ in women.” Narcissa confessed, blushing slightly since speaking of such things was usually _not_ the done thing. 

Then she visibly gathered her composure and pressed on. “Oh sure, he has had girlfriends in the past and it's not completely inconceivable that he'd fall in genuine love with a witch and want to marry her, but when we suggested arranging a marriage to him just one short month ago, he was quite adamant that he didn't want to get married at all, much less to a witch. He even went so far as to suggest a few alternatives to marriage in which he could carry on the family line – such as simply doing it all himself.”

Harry could see by the determinedly accepting light in her eyes, that Narcissa found the suggestion repugnant but was trying to be supportive. He narrowed his eyes warily and tilted his head slightly to the left. “What's so bad about wanting to be a single parent?”

Both of the Malfoys sighed. 

“Parenting is hard enough without having to do everything by oneself,” Lucius said, as if explaining something to a particularly dim-witted child. “We want our son to be happy, and you probably assume that WE'RE getting exactly what we want: our son married with the potential for an Heir within a year or two, but – setting aside the issue in which this witch is OBVIOUSLY trying to separate us from some of the gold in our vault – we're fairly certain that this marriage will not make our son happy. He'll perhaps enjoy the first bloom of love for a while, maybe even long enough to have a child or two, but eventually the potion will wear off, or she'll grow bored and stop giving it to him. Things will NOT end well, and we rather wish to avoid all the messiness that is certain to be involved when he realizes that his feelings for her were never real. That she USED him.”

Harry was silent for a long moment as he thought this over. Then he slowly nodded in agreement. “Alright... so let's say that I am willing to try to talk sense to Draco, what's to say that he'll listen to me?”

Husband and wife shared another significant look that was impossible for Harry to interpret. Narcissa ended it with a nod, and then squeezed Harry's hand.

“Well, you see, we have a fairly deep and probably accurate suspicion as to WHO it is that our son actually loves – way down deep inside. It is our hope that you can talk sense into him because just SEEING you might trigger some of that genuine feeling; hopefully enough to make him listen.”

“Hang on! Wait! Are-are you saying what I THINK you're saying?!” Harry blurted out in shock.

Rather than say anything, both Malfoys looked at Harry like he was being a bit thick. Narcissa's look was tempered by the hint of a smile, suggesting that he was adorable in his thickness, whereas Lucius looked like he was trying to summon up the patience of a saint to help him deal with fools.

“BUT WHY?!?!” Harry roared, not able to wrap his head around the concept that Draco actually had feelings for HIM.

Narcissa shook her head and squeezed his hand again. “Honestly, did you NEVER wonder why our son fixated on you so much? I should think it would have been obvious after a certain point.”

Harry felt a bit faint and his free hand was making an utter mess out of his hair now.

“It's probably only obvious to someone who WASN'T caught up in the exact same fixation,” Lucius drawled with a mild sneer.

Harry felt like a bucket or an ocean of freezing cold water was dumped on him. “Wha... But... BUT!” He shook his head repeatedly, trying his best to deny such an implication, but strangely, not able to. Finally, he pulled his hand free from Narcissa's and waved both his hands a bit frantically. “Ah, erm, er, well, but, setting all of that aside for the moment, how do you reckon this will work? Am I just supposed to pop into Draco's room and start chatting???”

Looking relieved to be done with the awkward part of the conversation, the Malfoys got down to business.

“Simple,” Narcissa stated confidently. “You'll join us for dinner tonight. You've been invited to discuss our desire to repay you for everything you've done for us, especially since we didn't deserve it, and please save any reaction you have to this topic for dinner so that it comes across naturally and not like we rehearsed everything.”

Harry sighed and bit back his protest.

Smiling, Narcissa pressed on. “We're hoping that the commotion and the unexpectedness of it will jar Draco – hopefully enough that he'll have a nice long think about his feelings and the suddenness of his engagement.”

“Alright, fine, I'll play along, but only because I know for a fact that he's under the influence of a Love Potion - since I watched the witch slip it to him. I don't think ANYONE deserves to be coerced into marriage like that.”

Utterly relieved, Narcissa turned the conversation to other things to occupy the time until dinner. After a mere half an hour, it came out that Narcissa not only loved to garden (which Harry dabbled with a little whenever Neville stopped by for a visit), but that she knew a bit about making pottery.

Strangely excited to have something in common, Harry told her all about his class and his practice pots. Looking genuinely happy, Narcissa summoned her personal elf to bring them her pottery wheel – which she duplicated – and several kilos of clay. Lucius watched in bemusement and a sense of surrealism as they proceeded to spend the entire afternoon making pots.

*****

Draco smiled as he entered the dining room with his fiancée on his arm. It looked as if his parents had FINALLY accepted his decision. They'd asked the elves to use the formal china, not to mention the expensive crystal. The only thing that made him frown was that there seemed to be an extra place set.

“Good evening, mother,” Draco greeted, kissing her on the cheek. “You're looking rather happy.”

“I am, thank you for noticing!” She stated with a pleased smile. “I had a rather lovely afternoon throwing pots. I'd quite forgotten how much I loving doing it.”

“Ah, well, good for you,” Draco replied, happy that she was happy. Then he gestured to the table. “Shall we be seated?”

Lucius held up a hand. “Not so fast. We've invited a guest, and unless he's even more atrocious than I think he is, he should be arriving any moment now.”

“Oh?” Draco asked in curiosity.

Narcissa laughed softly. “Your father purposely wrote the time on the invitation for ten minutes earlier than intended, so that our guest would hopefully be on time.”

Draco squinted and wracked his brains to see if he could figure out WHO was usually so habitually late that they counted on it. Before he could come up with an answer, an elf popped into the room with the LAST person he would have ever expected.

“Mr. Potter!” Narcissa greeted with as much joy as she'd use with her favorite long lost cousin.

“Mrs. Malfoy,” Harry greeted with a small but warm smile.

“Oh please, none of that now! Call me Narcissa!”

“Alright, Narcissa, but only if you call me Harry,” he bargained.

“Deal!” Narcissa cried out in acceptance. “I trust that you remember my husband.”

Harry glared at Lucius, who had no qualms about returning the glare in full force.

“YOU may NOT call me Harry.”

“Quite, and I think I shall enjoy hearing a properly respectful _Mr. Malfoy_ out of your mouth.”

Harry harrumphed and turned his attention back to Narcissa. “So what's all this rot the invitation is going on about?”

“Oh please, there's plenty of time for things like that. First, you must sit and let us serve the excellent dinner our elves prepared,” Narcissa insisted, gesturing to indicate his intended chair.

With a wary shrug, he pulled out his chair and watched as Draco and Lucius pulled out chairs for their women. Once the women were properly seated, the men pulled out their own chairs, and this reminded Harry that he was planning to sit. Apparently his momentary forgetfulness helped him to follow expected protocol that he had no knowledge of.

Draco was normally very well mannered at dinner, but he was so flustered by Harry's unexpected presence that he couldn't restrain himself for long. Narcissa barely had a chance to finish her introductions – “I'm certain I have no need to introduce our son to you, since you were in the same year, but allow me to introduce his bride-to-be Amanda.” – before Draco was blurting out: “Why in the bloody hell is _Potter_ here?”

Amanda was smiling a bit dreamily. “Does it really matter, Draco? I've not yet had a chance to meet Harry Potter; thank you so much – Mr. Potter – for defeating You-Know-Who! I've sent in a bunch of letters for you to the Daily Prophet, but I'm quite sure you must not have received them.”

Harry was awkward and sheepish, rubbing the back of his neck. “Er... I might have, it's just that I don't have enough time to answer all of my fan mail. I get so much of it that I have a hard time _reading_ it all!”

“Ah, understandable,” Amanda murmured with an adoring smile.

The first course was served and the first sips of the excellent wine were taken before Narcissa gave into the near glare her son was giving her. “Oh alright!” She turned to Harry and gave him a bright smile. “Harry, as we stated in our invitation, we invited you here tonight in order to settle our debts to you.”

Harry formed a W with his hands. “Yeah but that's that part I don't understand. You don't _have_ a debt to me – not as far as I'm concerned.”

Lucius made a light sneering sound. “ _Surely_ you don't think that a Malfoy would _ever_ ignore his debts!”

Harry rubbed his temples and sighed. “Look, all I did was what _anyone_ would have done. There's no need to feel indebted to me!”

Narcissa reached over and took his hand. “Harry, set aside the fact that you defeated the Dark Lord and freed our family from a horrible fate – of our own making, I agree. The far more important thing is that our son told us how you saved him from dying in a Fiendfyre. As he is the most precious thing to us, _surely_ you can understand why we would want to repay you for your selflessness and bravery.”

Draco had a brow raised as he watched this scene unfold. He knew his parents felt indebted to _Saint Potter,_ but he hadn't expected them to ever act on it. He nearly snorted in amusement when Harry looked over at him and rolled those vibrant green eyes at the expression on his face.

“Alright fine,” Harry gave in with a sense of helplessness. He honestly had no idea how to dissuade them. “So what did you have in mind?”

Amanda kept looking back and forth between everyone around the table, apparently holding her breath to see how this all played out.

Narcissa looked to her husband, who forced a tiny and just barely polite smile. After taking a sip of wine, Lucius deigned to reply. “We've decided to name you as one of our Heirs – with all the privilege that entails.”

“WHAT?!” Draco roared incredulously even as Harry scratched his head in confusion and questioned: “What?”

Lucius smirked mischievously at his son. “It's simple, really. Mr. Potter will be given a small vault – as you were – and added to the list of Malfoy Heirs. In 60 or 80 years when the time comes for me to pass on, he'll be entitled to the younger Heir's portion of our fortune, with the larger part going to you. And if you should happen to have no Heirs of your own, he and his Heirs will be the next in line to receive your portion.”

Draco glared at his father unappreciatively. “Is this your subtle way of asking me if I got my fiancée in trouble and need to marry with all due haste because of it?”

“Oh not at all,” Narcissa assured him.

“But we won't lie and say we haven't _wondered_ about such a thing,” Lucius added.

“No I haven't!” Draco roared angrily. “We hadn't even gone to bed when I asked her to marry me!”

Amanda gave them a smile that was just a little _too_ bright and airy. “My fiancé has been a perfect gentleman, insisting that we mostly wait for our wedding night.”

“Mostly?” Narcissa questioned with an elegantly shaped brow raised in disapproval.

Draco couldn't help but blush and feel a little guilty. “Oh come now, mother! I'm 21, surely you can't expect me to be entirely celibate.”

She tilted her head side to side to admit that he had a point, let out a delicate sigh, and dropped the subject by taking a sip of her wine.

Harry decided the time was right to regain control of the conversation. “Yeah, but what if I don't need any of that? I already have two vaults full of gold, and I can't imagine needing to inherit anything several decades from now.”

“Oh? Are you saying you'd prefer to inherit it now?” Lucius challenged with a smooth expression.

Harry chuckled. “Well, if I had my druthers, you'd have met your justice in the Final Battle, but since you didn't, I would prefer it if you lived out a natural life. What I'm ACTUALLY saying is that I don't need to be named as one of your Heirs; I have plenty of my own money, thank you very much.”

“So humble,” Narcissa lamented, finding it a bit of a pain that Harry wasn't being more gracious by simply accepting the honor.

Draco HATED seeing his mother upset, no matter how much she was trying to hide it, and so turned his glare on Harry. “It's not about YOU, _Potter_! It's about OUR family honor and pride! WE NEED to repay you, and you should stop being such an arse and accept it!”

“ _Me being an arse?!_ ” Harry repeated indignantly. “ _What about YOU?!”_

“How am I being an arse?” Draco questioned in bafflement.

“By existing!” Harry exclaimed, emphasizing his point by tapping his pointer finger on the table emphatically.

Draco inexplicably preened at that. “Ah, I see now, you're confusing well bred manners with whatever you're used to from your...” he flapped his hand as he tried to decide on the best word. “Friends...” he opted for, in an attempt to be 'nice.'

“Up yours, wanker!” Harry exclaimed with a glare. “My friends happened to have excellent manners!”

Draco feigned being scandalized. “Language Potter! Would you kiss your mother with that mouth?”

“If I had one, yes!” Harry insisted, still glaring at Draco. “And YOU should stop acting like such a bloody prick! Or don't you realize that you just insulted the sort of people your fiancée comes from? How do you suppose she feels to hear what you think of them?”

Draco immediately looked contrite, even wincing sheepishly as he turned to Amanda – who he had almost forgotten about in his fervor to best Harry. “So sorry, luv! I didn't intend to make you feel badly.”

The look on his face should have confirmed to anyone with an ounce of observational skills that he was not himself. He looked almost drugged with dreaminess when he focused on his bride-to-be. Even Harry could see it!

Amanda was obviously torn on how to react. She quickly set aside her misgivings (and the star-struck staring at Harry) and gave Draco a reassuring smile. “I know you meant no harm, luv. I remember how courteous you were to my parents when you met them.”

This gave Harry an opening to advance his real mission. “Oh? Malfoy managed to be nice to someone? That's unexpected. Tell me, when did you two meet?”

“Technically, we met in Hogwarts,” Amanda answered with a sweet smile. “I was a year above the two of you, in Ravenclaw. We'd actually studied as a group on occasion.”

Draco shook his head in confusion, the strangest look crossing his face. “I... don't... remember that...”

Not daunted in the slightest, Amanda turned her smile on him. “That's because I was in with those studying for their NEWTS while you were with the Sixth Years. It was a big group. I don't blame you for not remembering every face there.”

Draco looked down, pinching his chin as he thought this over. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he wondered why he couldn't remember meeting his fiancée before he proposed to her. Surely if he had such strong feeling for her, he'd remember at least seeing her around the castle.

Amanda hummed and gave him a sweet kiss before holding out her hand. “Chocolate?”

“My favorite,” Draco replied, smiling at her and taking the small square of chocolate so he could pop it in his mouth. After chewing and swallowing it, he looked dreamy again and gave her an adoring kiss.

He then looked over and noticed Harry giving him a concerned look. It took his mind a moment to clear away a foggy feeling, but then he sneered. “As I was saying, _Potter_ , it's not about you and you should just accept my parents' offer graciously.”

Harry decided to be even more of a bastard than Draco thought he was. “Fine by me, Malfoy, it's YOUR inheritance I'll be taking part of.”

This made Draco glare at him all over again, clearly torn between wanting to insist that Harry didn't deserve it, and supporting his parents in their decision.

“Does this mean you'll be like brothers now?” Amanda asked in excitement. “Will you be part of our wedding, Harry Potter?”

“Erm...” Harry faltered, not entirely sure how far he was suppose to take this.

“Why would I want Potter in our wedding?” Draco wondered in horror. “He's such a troll that he'd surely trip over his own feet and ruin everything!”

“Who'd want such a poncy wedding that someone tripping actually ruins  _ everything _ ?!” Harry demanded. “Weddings are meant to be joyous occasions where the little things like that don't matter!”

“My wedding is going to be a grand event befitting a Malfoy, and while I might be forced to tolerate your presence as an official Malfoy Heir, I REFUSE to acknowledge you as any sort of BROTHER – and honestly, won't mind a bit if you should happen to have urgent plans  _ elsewhere _ that day!”

“Well guess what! I've just decided that there's NOTHING more important that watching you get bloody married!”

“Salazar save me from buggering fools! AT LEAST promise to go shopping and buy something  _ suitable _ to wear to a high class formal event! If you show up in those bloody rags you call a wardrobe, I'll not stop myself from hexing you into a week at St. Mungo's!”

“I have a perfectly suitable wardrobe, I'll have you know! I get sent all the latest fashions from all the best designers!”

“Then WHY do you never wear any of them in public?!” Draco asked in genuine bafflement.

“And risk looking like I have a stick up my arse?!” Harry asked incredulously.

Draco rubbed his temples in an attempt to ward off his ever growing headache. Meanwhile, his parents were exchanging a look that was rather triumphant despite the fact that they were both biting back grins. It seems they were right; put Draco in the same room as Harry Potter and simply sit back and watch as their natural sparks nearly light the room on fire.

Amanda slowly had the sneaking suspicion that something weird was going on. “Perhaps  _ I _ can help you chose what to wear to the wedding?” 

Harry looked at her and shrugged. “If you want, but Hermione and my ex Ginny will probably know exactly what I should wear the moment I mention it to them.”

Draco was slightly taken aback by this. “Ex? I didn't know you'd broken up...”

Harry shrugged again. “Yeah, well that's probably because we haven't shouted about it, so it hasn't been in the Daily Prophet. It actually happened a while ago, while I was still an Auror.”

“You mean you quit???” Draco asked in astonishment. He'd always felt that Harry was being an idiot by becoming an Auror, but since it seemed like the only thing Golden Boy was good at, it was actually shocking for him to quit.

“Yeah, a couple of weeks ago, in fact. I happened to be at the Leaky commiserating my decision the night you got engaged.”

Amanda narrowed her eyes suspiciously at that while Draco tilted his head speculatively. “I don't recall you being there.”

“I daresay you were distracted by your lovely girlfriend,” Harry stated. “Probably planning out how to pop the question.”

This had Draco frowning again as he tried to work out how exactly that had happened. After a moment, he shook his head and shrugged. “Actually, there wasn't much planning involved. It was love at first sight, and when I know what I want, I never hesitate to go after it.”

“Huh,” Harry murmured in disbelief. “If you say so.”

“Well, since all matters seemed to be settled, all that remains is for you to sign this,” Lucius stated as he held out a document for Harry to take.

Harry read it over in disbelief. It was a short and surprisingly direct document that stated that Harry was being made an official Malfoy Heir, second in line after Draco. He turned the paper side to side, read it at least seven times, and even cast a spell to make the document reveal its secrets, but when nothing happened, had to admit that it was real AND not hiding anything sneaky – such as Harry actually agreeing to leave HIS fortune to Draco should he happen to die suddenly.

Not actually wanting to be a Malfoy Heir, Harry looked at first Narcissa, then Lucius, and finally Draco. Narcissa looked rather serene and motherly; Lucius looked reluctant but accepting; while Draco looked like he was still having a bit of a mental crisis over whether he should support his parents or protest. Sighing in resignation, Harry picked up the lovely leucistic peacock feather and – after a deep breath to steady his nerves – signed the document.

Lucius actually looked disappointed, but Narcissa was smiling as serenely as ever. She took the document and patted Harry on the cheek.

“I look forward to getting to know you better now that you're as good as part of the family. Come over anytime. Perhaps we'll find we have something in common.”

Not knowing what to say, Harry simply smiled at her.

*****

Over the past couple of weeks, Harry had made so many pots, cups, bowls, and even plates, that he was seriously considering opening a shop to sell them in. He was still surprised by how much he liked making Pottery. Stranger still was how much he enjoyed visiting Narcissa and learning new techniques from her.

It was now the morning of Draco's wedding, and Harry was just finishing up his first attempt at making a pitcher while the large decorative bowl he'd made as a present finished cooling. He had carved swirling patterns all around the inside and outside of the bowl, let it dry and fired it in the kiln, glazed it a vivid shade of blue, fired it again, used gold colored paint to write – with the aid of a spell to turn his chicken scratch into elegant script –  _ Draco and Amanda Malfoy _ (followed by the date), covered that in clear glaze, and fired it a last time. After allowing for proper drying every step of the way.

Thus, he had a rather lovely gift to give them, even though he still assumed that Amanda planned to either leave Draco standing at the Altar, or literally laugh at and shame him in front of everyone when it came time to say her vows. Apparently all was fair in love and war, and considering this was supposed to be revenge, it was both. Sort of.

He had just finished wrapping his present when Ginny, Ron, and Hermione popped in to his kitchen. To all of their surprise, when Harry'd received his official invitation in the mail, it had been addressed to him but specifically included his friends. He'd explained the whole Heir thing to them, but they hadn't quite believed it until they saw the invitation.

“Mate, WHY are you going, much less bringing a present to that pointy git?” Ron asked, not for the first time.

Harry sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I've got no bloody idea! I just... I suppose that I can't just stand by and let anyone get married to someone that's drugging them with a Love Potion.”

Ron shrugged. “I dunno, I think he sort of deserves it for being such a bloody bastard as long as we've known him.”

Harry gave him a look that made it clear he didn't appreciate the sentiment. Hermione laughed softly at the both of them. Ginny giggled and ruffled his hair.

“You should probably admit that you're hoping that he'll wake up and chose you instead,” Ginny heckled.

Harry gave her a light glare. “What's that supposed to mean?!”

She and Hermione gave him a significant look while Ron looked like he was attempting to swallow a jaggedly broken shotglass full of bee stingers. It was actually Ron that said it out loud.

“Harry... you don't have to hide it from us... we've all figured it out a LONG time ago...”

Harry was staring at Ron in bafflement. “Figured what out...?”

“That you have feelings for Malfoy that are so strong that you couldn't get over them,” Hermione answered.

“No matter how hard you tried,” Ginny added with a soft smile of acceptance. She well knew exactly how hard that was, as she'd watched him struggle to love her as much as she loved him for a couple of years before breaking it off. She'd hoped that he'd have accepted himself and taken steps to be happy by now.

Once again, Harry very much wanted to protest, but exactly like had happened when the Malfoys had suggested this, he couldn't make himself form the words. Instead, he let out a heavy sigh and slumped his head forward. Ginny hugged him.

“It's alright Harry. You can love whoever you want.”

He scoffed incredulously. “You think I WANT to love Malfoy???”

Hermione hummed in sympathy and rubbed his back. “Maybe not want, but...”

“But you do,” Ron stated in absolute confidence.

Harry felt utterly beaten up and defeated by this, enough to crack the shell he'd formed around his heart. “Fine, so maybe I do, but what am I supposed to do about it?! It's NOT like I can just walk up to him before he walks down the Aisle and say: Oi, wanker, don't marry that scheming bitch because I want you to date ME!”

Hermione chuckled and patted him on the back. “You might have to do exactly that.”

Ron nodded in agreement. “If he's really under the influence of a Love Potion, there are only two things that can break it – unless he stops getting more long enough for it to wear off on its own.”

“Otherwise its a sort of antidote potion,” Ginny said, stating what Ron hadn't.

“Or a kiss from his actual love,” Hermione added with a grin.

“And don't think for one second that it's not you!” Ginny exclaimed. “No boy tugs on the ponytail of ANYONE for as long as he tormented you, without there being a deeply underlying reason why.”

“Wait...” Harry murmured in confusion. “So... you're ALL saying that you think he LOVES me???”

Once again, they all gave him a knowing look, even Ron.

“THEN WHY DID YOU NEVER SAY ANYTHING?!?!?!” Harry roared in frustration.

“I was rather hoping you'd fall for my sister instead,” Ron informed him wryly.

“I assumed that you'd figure it out eventually,” Hermione explained with a shrug.

“I felt that you might need a bit of space and time to come to the conclusion on your own,” Ginny finished, hugging him. “Besides, it probably would have started a huge row if I'd tried telling you that I thought we should break up because I could see that you were in love with someone else.”

Harry gave her an apologetic look, feeling like a bastard for putting her through an entire relationship simply because he couldn't admit the truth to himself. He was still having a hard time with it, if he were honest.

Sighing heavily, he flung himself into his favorite chair. “It's amazing that you all accept me for who I am – even if I've got no bloody clue who that is! – but keep in mind how I was raised. I was raised to go out of my way to be ordinary and just like everyone else, and to keep my mouth shut while I did it. I was told on a daily basis not to ask questions, and so, I suppose that I...”

Hermione rubbed his back again. “You internalized that message without realizing it, assuming that despite being a wizard, you had to be an ordinary one, and not questioning for a moment whether or not you might actually be gay.”

Harry frowned in confusion and scratched his head. “Merlin! Do I really have to decide something so big in the three hours left before the wedding?”

“You just might, if you're planning to stop the wedding,” Ron pointed out with a mixture of amusement and sympathy. “And for the record, Harry, I'm not against you being gay – if you turn out to be. We've always been supportive of Charlie, right? It's  _ Malfoy _ that makes me want to vomit when I think too closely on it.”

Harry chuckled at that. “Well, if you all are right, you might have to think closely about it a LOT.”

Ron groaned, turned a bit green, and feigned sicking up. This cheered Harry up immensely, allowing him to get up out of his chair and lead them to his bedroom.

“I've got  _ loads _ of designer clothes, and no idea which one is best to wear to a wedding. You know, a  _ wizard _ one.”

“Hmm...” both Hermione and Ginny hummed as they sorted through his closet. It took about two and a half minutes for them to come to an agreement on a dashing set of emerald green dress robes accented with gold thread.

Even Ron nodded his head in agreement. “That'll do.”

Shrugging, Harry set about getting dressed even as his friends pulled what they planned to wear out of Hermione's tiny beaded purse and did the same. They were all ready to go with hours to spare.

*****

Two hours before the wedding, Harry Apparated his friends to the formal entrance hall of Malfoy Manor. He hadn't exactly  _ planned _ on landing there, but that's where all guests to the Manor were being sent for the day. As expected – had he thought about it at all – Lucius and Narcissa were waiting to greet all guests.

Ron was not the only one astonished to see how Harry greeted Draco's mother.

“Narcissa!” He exclaimed before kissing her on the cheek.

“Harry, how lovely to see you again!” She greeted, returning his kiss on the cheek.

“Mr. Potter,” Lucius stated, far less enthusiastically.

“Not so nice to see you too,” Harry returned the sentiment.

“Draco's been such a drama king all morning,” Narcissa lamented, ignoring the fact that her husband had been less than gracious to a guest. She now held Harry's hands in hers.

“Oh? Having cold feet?” Harry asked with interest.

“That's what we hoped, but he's far too adamant that everything be perfect for that. She must have given him an extra dose of potion this morning,” Narcissa theorized with a heavy sigh. 

“I can't wait until you see the bowl I made for his wedding present,” Harry said, still proud of himself despite the actual hope that the wedding wouldn't reach its intended conclusion.

“Did you try that inlay technique I taught you?” Narcissa wondered with genuine interest.

“Not yet, but I did carve a pattern all around the sides,” Harry explained.

“That sounds lovely. I do hope that whatever happens, I get a chance to see it.”

Lucius sighed as if weary. “Narcissa, my love, could you  _ please _ not talk about pottery for one afternoon? I have far more weighty things on my mind to pay proper attention.”

Narcissa laughed. “As if you pay proper attention to such things even when your mind is empty!”

“I try!” Lucius exclaimed defensively.

“Alright, that you do,” she admitted, giving him a quick kiss before returning her attention to Harry. “Harry, why don't you bring your friends to the Sun Room and show them the things we've been working on during your visits?”

With another heavy sigh and a look like he sincerely wished to cast a nasty hex, Lucius added: “And if you  _ happen _ to take a tour of the Manor, Draco's suite is in the right wing, on the third floor, biggest door in the corridor, you  _ can't _ miss it.”

“It says his name and everything,” Narcissa couldn't help but add, her smile sparkling with amusement.

“Right...” Harry drawled, tempted to roll his eyes.

“Oh, and don't forget to put your gift on this table,” Narcissa murmured, gesturing to an ornately decorated table that already bore a couple of gifts from those that couldn't make it.

With a nod, Harry pulled his gift out of his pouch and set it on the table, then he beckoned for his friends to follow him. Ron didn't hesitate, but Hermione and Ginny felt that they needed to at least try to follow manners and show proper respect for their hosts.

Both nodded and murmured: “Mrs. Malfoy. Mr. Malfoy.” Their tightly clutched hands spoke volumes about their nervousness, but both were brave enough to erase all other traces of it.

Narcissa smiled at them politely. “Welcome to our home, Miss Weasley, Miss Granger. I do hope you'll accept my sincere apology for what happened to you the last time you were here,” she murmured, a finger trailing gently over Hermione's arm.

Hermione shrugged and shook her head just a little. “It wasn't you. I could see you standing in the corner, your arms around your son as if you wished you could protect him from such things. I know you didn't like what was happening.”

Narcissa decided that if her hopes and plans worked out, she'd have to get used to this brave woman in her house as – presumably – Draco and  _ Harry _ would be in it quite often, their friends included. So, she let out a relieved sigh and hugged Hermione.

“Believe it or not, I never cared for such things. I truly am sorry that  _ anyone _ had to suffer like that in my home.”

Hermione couldn't speak, so she simply nodded, and then let Ron put an arm around her as she followed Harry. 

Once they were well out of hearing range, Lucius gave his wife a look. “There's no need to simper over them simply because they are Potter's friends.”

Narcissa gave her husband a bigger look. “Did it not occur to you that if things turn out the way we hope – with Harry stopping Draco from marrying  _ that girl _ – that  _ we'll _ have to get used to Harry and his friends being in our home?”

Lucius opened his mouth to argue, then closed it again when he realized that he couldn't. With a groan, he looked to the ceiling and searched for the patience to get through the day.

Meanwhile, Harry was actually showing his friends around the Sun Room as suggested. “And this is the vase I made. I got the shape just right, but I dunno, something seems off about it. I plan to try again rather than fire it... whaaat's wrong?”

Ron was giving him a strange look. “I know you said you'd been to Malfoy Manor and even made a few pots with Mrs. Malfoy, but since when are you two all cozy and the best of friends???”

“What?” Harry demanded defensively. “I like her, and she DID lie to Voldemort for me. I figure that since we have something in common and she seems willing to make amends, there's no reason for me NOT to at least try getting along with her.”

“There's getting along and then there's practically dating her – holding hands and kissing cheeks,” Ginny pointed out with a bit of a jealous grumble. She'd let Harry go to follow his heart, NOT take up with a married older woman.

Harry burst out laughing. “Stop! There's nothing like that going on!”

“If you say so,” Ron said in a tone that made it clear he thought Harry was barmy for associating with ANY of the Malfoys.

Hermione chuckled. “Well, the Malfoys certainly seem hopeful that you'll snog some sense into their son!”

Harry snorted in amusement, shaking his head at the very idea. Until he pictured it and his mind went all unfocused and dreamy. His friends all laughed, making him wonder what was so funny.

They were still laughing at him (and he was now glaring at them) a minute or so later when Draco and his friends walked into the room. Draco had Pansy on his arm and they were flanked by Blaise and Greg.

“ _ Potter _ ...” he greeted with reluctant respect. “I'm  _ delighted _ that you could make it to my wedding after all. I do hope that you'll exert some self control and refrain from acting like a troll.”

Harry looked him up and down. “Wow, Malfoy, you look even posher than usual, and I didn't think that was possible.”

Draco was utterly confused. “Are you trying to insult me?”

“No, I actually think that was a compliment, but that's not the important part,” Harry replied, literally waving that away with a hand. “The important part is that I  _ plan _ to refrain from acting like a troll, but I am me, and so let's be honest, it might be a promise I can't keep.”

Draco snorted in amusement. “Well at least you admit it!” Then he sighed unhappily. “ _ Why _ in the bloody hell did you come here? Do you  _ really _ want to be a dark shadow on what's supposed to be the happiest day of my life?”

Harry pressed his lips together in thought for a moment before deciding to be honest. “It's as I said, Malfoy. I was THERE the day you got engaged, and so I know something that you apparently haven't figured out yet.”

This made Draco regard him warily. “Oh? Do tell.”

“I was there attempting to drink away my depression over quitting my job and wrecking my life, even so, I spotted you looking rather miserable too. I was actually trying to work up the courage to go over and ask why when you insulted your waitress so badly that she stormed over to the bar and slipped a love potion into your drink, which of course, made you propose to her the moment you drank it,” Harry explained.

The room was utterly silent for a LONG moment as Harry and Draco stared at each other. The silence was broken when Draco sighed.

“I KNEW you couldn't just be nice and a model guest on my wedding day. I didn't think you'd make up lies though.”

“I'm not lying!” Harry roared in frustration.

Draco rolled his eyes. “Oh sure, you witnessed my fiancée slip me a love potion, and suddenly I proposed to her. Anything  _ else _ you want to claim? Perhaps you also witnessed her drink a youth potion that turned her from a withered old hag into a young woman,” Draco sneered.

“Erm... Don't hex the messenger, love,” Pansy interjected. “But what if he's right? After all, you'd never even  _ mentioned _ darling Amanda before, and you  _ did _ propose to her quite suddenly.”

“I told you, Pans, that it was love at first sight. There's no need to entertain Potter's madness,” Draco stated dismissively.

Ginny, Hermione, and even Ron could see the look of concern circle around Draco's friends. They  _ clearly _ wanted to argue, but also didn't want to be kicked out on a day that he needed them to be there for him. Satisfied that his friends were in agreement with him, Draco spun around to walk away.

“Malfoy, wait!” Harry cried out. “If I'm wrong, then there's no reason why you shouldn't take a, erm, an  _ anti _ -love-potion potion... right?”

Draco gave him a look asking how stupid Harry was. “Riiiight, so you can spike me with an actual Love Potion so I'll fall for your Weaselette long enough to ruin my entire day.”

Harry held up his hands in surrender. “I promise that I will not  _ touch _ anything you take. Have your elf buy one from the Apothecary, or ask your parents if they happen to have one lying around. Whatever it'll take to convince you that I'm not tampering with it, but take it.  _ Please _ ?”

“I  _ refuse _ to entertain your lunacy, Potter! Now behave before I have to evict you from the Manor,” Draco threatened. “It doesn't matter  _ how _ much my mother likes you, I'll not have you ruining my day!”

Even Draco's friends watched helplessly as Draco stormed toward the exit.

“ _ True _ .  _ Love _ ,” Blaise muttered in a low but insistent voice as he stared at Harry.

Ginny  _ ahem' _ ed very loudly before pushing Harry in Draco's direction. This inexplicably gave Harry the impetus to run after Draco, yank him off his feet, throw him up against the wall, and crash their lips together. It took a long moment for Harry's mind to function properly again, but when it did, he noticed that Draco had his eyes closed and was responding with an equal amount of rough passion.

Then Draco's eyes flew open and he pushed Harry away so hard that Harry landed on his arse, sprawled rather inelegantly on the floor. 

“You. Stay. AWAY. From me!” With a look of sheer panic, Draco ran from the room as if the hounds of hell were on his heels.

Harry shrugged helplessly and let Ron help him to his feet. “What now? I tried and it didn't work.” He lowered his voice and nearly silently added: “Which I didn't think it would.”

Pansy and Blaise were both humming speculatively while Greg was scratching his head and wondering what in the bloody hell was going on.

“I think it actually DID work,” Pansy said.

Blaise nodded in agreement. “Yeah, he definitely looked like he was waking up from a spell there for a moment.”

“And then he panicked and ran away like a bloody coward,” Pansy added, which Blaise nodded in agreement with again.

“Hang on, I still don't understand something,” Greg interjected. “If Draco couldn't stop moaning about Potter for all those years, then why in the bloody hell is he marrying that woman we've never heard of before?”

Pansy laughed and shook her head. “Finally caught up, have you?” 

Blaise patted him on the back. “We're nearly certain he was slipped a Love Potion.”

“Oh...” Greg murmured in actual understanding. “So... shouldn't we go after him and listen as he moans about Potter again?”

“Quite,” Pansy agreed with an amused grin. She slung an arm over Greg's shoulder. “Let's see if you can remember the way back to his room.”

“It's the one with his name on it, yeah?” Greg asked, squinting and trying to remember if there were any other options.

“That's the one!” Blaise confirmed, subtly leading the way so that Greg couldn't get lost.

“Might as well find a seat on the South Lawn and wait until we manage to calm Draco down and talk some sense into him,” Pansy called to Harry over her shoulder.

Harry stood there staring after the Slytherins incredulously. After a long moment, he turned to his friends. “So... Draco knew. His  _ parents _ knew. His friends knew. YOU all knew. Why in the bloody hell did NO ONE tell me?!?!”

Ron simply laughed and patted Harry on the back.

*****

Draco'd ran all the way to his room in his panic, uncomfortably true things banging around his mind the entire time. He was filled with a feeling so profound that he couldn't breathe! He was in  _ love _ with POTTER!!!

Desperately needing something to wet his throat so that he might be able to breathe again, he grabbed a glass of champagne from his vanity and downed it in one swallow. He felt immediately better. Sighing in relief, he smiled at the box of chocolates that his fiancée had had deliver to his room that morning. He'd been sipping on the champagne and nibbling on the chocolates all morning, elated by her thoughtfulness.

Humming to himself, he straightened his collar and tie, wishing that there wasn't still an entire  _ hour _ before his wedding began. Not only was he dying to get it over with already, but the last time he'd seen Amanda was last night when he said good night to her, and that seemed like  _ eons _ ago.

When his friends arrived a few minutes later, he turned to smile at them happily. “Where've you lot been? No matter, I'm perfect and more than ready to go. Any chance I could persuade one of you to talk Amanda into starting an hour early?”

His friends all frowned in concern. “Erm... I just spoke with Amanda, and she hasn't managed to get into her dress yet,” Pansy lied. “Darling... Are you upset by what Potter did?”

“What did Potter do?” Draco asked curiously before glaring. “Wait, you mean Potter's  _ here _ ?! I hoped he'd have the grace to stay away today.” He sighed in defeat. “Well, I'd best go greet him and insist that he be on his best behavior – not that that's expecting much.”

Pansy and Blaise exchanged a HIGHLY concerned look. 

“But you already did that,” Greg blurted out in confusion.

Draco scoffed lightly. “I think I'd remember if I'd sparred with Potter today. I've been in here all morning getting ready to be married. In fact... weren't you in here with me for most of it?” He scrunched his face up as he tried to remember clearly, then he gave up with a shrug and took another sip of champagne. “Amanda...” he sighed dreamily.

Pansy pressed her lips together to stop from crying out in protest, even as Blaise clenched his fist from a deep desire to go punch the sneaky bitch in the face. With a silent look, they agreed that they needed to stay with Draco and try to get him to stop drinking the champagne – not to mention try to slip him the cure.

“Darling, try not to get  _ too _ tipsy before the ceremony. Wouldn't want to trip over your own feet,” Pansy advised sagely.

“Right!” Draco exclaimed in agreement, setting his cup aside and selecting another tiny chocolate heart to pop in his mouth. 

An hour later, the Golden Trio and Ginny were getting anxious.  _ Clearly _ , the wedding hadn't been called off yet as all the guests had arrived and things looked to be about ready to start. They were sat in the second row – which had been formally assigned to Harry and his friends – right behind Andromeda and Teddy, who had at least kept Harry distracted for a good 20 minutes.

Suddenly, Lucius and Narcissa made their way to the front row, smiling graciously at their guests as the went. When they were seated, they turned to look at Harry expectantly.

“I tried,” Harry grumbled unhappily. “I apparently failed.”

Sighing in disappointment, they all waited for Draco to arrive, hoping that there was still time to make him see reason. It only took about two minutes for Draco to take his place at the Altar while everyone waited for Amanda to perform her all important walk.

Harry practically held his breath, staring  _ intently _ at Draco – who seemed to be steadfastly ignoring him. Draco's parents were clutching each other's hands fretfully. The general chatter from the audience speculated on whether or not this was  _ real, _ or if the Malfoys were simply pulling off some sort of stunt. Perhaps a way to cultivate good will. Sort of a: “Sorry to invite you here under false circumstances, but since you're already here, care to have some excellent wine and dance to the music played by this live orchestra we hired?”

Harry unconsciously dug his fingers into his face as he watched Amanda walk down the Aisle, stand by Draco, and promise to love, honor, and cherish him for the rest of their lives. Draco – STILL ignoring the entire direction Harry occupied – also made the same promises, and if Amanda didn't announce her revenge soon, the whole thing would be irreversible!

When the Officiant asked if anyone had a reason to object, Harry leapt to his feet and shouted: “YOU CAN'T MARRY HER!”

“Why the bloody hell not, POTTER?!” Draco demanded angrily.

“BECAUSE – I don't care if you don't believe me – she has you under a Love Potion!” Harry insisted emphatically.

“She does not! Honestly Potter! Don't you think I'd KNOW if I'd been slipped a Love Potion?!”

“APPARENTLY NOT!!!” Harry yelled, flinging his hands out to indicate Draco and Amanda about to be married.

The officiant held up his hands and made a few calming gestures. “Alright, everyone calm down. There's a simple solution to this,” he informed them, and then cast a spell before anyone could say anything. Draco immediately lit up a sparkly pink. A moment later, little floating red hearts circled him as well. “Oh dear... It seems that Mr. Potter is right. Mr. Malfoy IS under the influence of a Love Potion.”

Looking far more enraged than she had any right to be, Amanda turned on the spot and Apparated away. Or rather, she TRIED. Pansy and Blaise each gripped one of her arms and stopped her, since she'd never tried to side along anyone and didn't want to risk splinching them all.

The Offiant smiled at her in a grandfatherly way. “My dear, can you explain why you felt you had to give your  fianc é a Love Potion?”

Amanda was already sobbing, although it was clear that she didn't want to be as she kept impatiently trying to wipe away the tears with her lacy sleeve. “I originally did it to get revenge on him for being such a bastard to me! But! But once he was in love with me, he was the nicest bloke you'd ever met! He made me feel like a Princess! Can you really blame me for wanting to keep that?! I fell in actual LOVE with that nice Draco!”

The Officiant shook his head and sighed. “No, I cannot blame you for wanting that, my dear, but sadly, it was never real and would have ended badly eventually.”

Amanda sobbed into his shoulder, babbling something about wanting nothing more than to cherish and love Draco for the rest of her life. Draco looked torn between wanting to comfort her, and being aghast by the clear evidence – that was still floating around him – that she HAD slipped him a Love Potion. All he could do was stand there helplessly, staring at her.

The Officiant gently handed Amanda over to an Auror that had been assigned to attend the wedding on the off chance that something untoward happened. She continued trying to comfort her even as she led her away so that he could discretely place her under arrest.

Which left the Official free to talk to Draco. “I cannot break the spell on you, but I  _ can _ help you to see the truth.” He placed a finger on Draco's energy center often referred to as a third eye. “Close your eyes and let your mind go blank.”

Draco complied, feeling a soft sizzling sensation travel through his head.

“Allow the person you actually want to marry to appear before you, and then say her name. If you're in luck, she's here and can kiss you to break the spell.”

Draco felt strangely at peace when an image of Harry appeared before him. With his mind as fogged over as it was, he had no capacity to be upset with or reject this revelation. Smiling even though his eyes were still closed, he pointed in the general direction of his parents and said: “Harry.”

This made the utterly silent audience gasped from shock. They'd been holding their breaths so as to not miss a split second of the drama, but almost no one had expected this turn of events. Except for those already in the know. This time, it was  _ Ron _ that pushed on Harry to propel him into action.

Squaring his shoulders, Harry marched over to Draco and said – clearly, so that everyone could hear him: “Everyone says that True Love's kiss can break a Love Spell, so since you just named me as that person, I would be heartless not to at least try it.”

He took a deep breath, placed his hands on Draco's face, and then leaned forward to gently kiss Draco. A kiss that lasted rather longer than necessary and turned far more heated than either would be comfortable with if they remembered that they were in front of a large audience. An audience that was silent in shock for about three heartbeats before roaring in astonishment.

This pulled Harry from the blissful haze fogging his mind, prompting him to end the kiss. 

“Why did you stop?” Draco asked in a soft and dreamy voice.

“Because we're in front of a lot of people I don't even know,” Harry pointed out, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.

This prompted Draco to finally open his eyes and look around. A blush spread across his face that was so red, he looked like an overcooked lobster. He was tempted to run away, but found that his hand was clutching Harry's and he couldn't make it let go. Inexplicably, he felt guilty and looked over to see how his parents were reacting.

Narcissa looked nearly teary with motherly pride and love. Lucius had a faint smile on his face, torn because he liked seeing his son  _ actually _ in love and unable to hide it, but dismayed by WHO he was in love with – despite having resigned himself to the fact a while ago. A thought crossed Draco's mind that made him crash back down to reality rather suddenly. 

“THAT'S WHY YOU NAMED HIM AN OFFICIAL MALFOY HEIR!!!”

Narcissa laughed. “We didn't think you'd understand just how supportive of you we are otherwise.”

Draco rolled his eyes and let them land on Harry. “I haven't even figured anything out for myself – let alone had FIVE MINUTES to think things through – and my parents have already given us their blessings to get married! They've practically insisted!”

Harry shrugged, having been and still staring at their entwined hands because he couldn't believe just how much he liked them that way. “I dunno, doesn't sound like such a bad thing to me.”

Draco gasped as a sense of hope hit him that was so profound that he couldn't breathe. He pounded on his chest and stuttered in a useless attempt to catch his breath. Harry frowned in concern and lifted Draco's face for a better view.

“Alright there, Malfoy?”

Rather than try to speak, Draco simply grabbed onto to Harry and gave him a possessive kiss.

Greg cleared his throat, unsurprisingly confused. “Does this mean that they're getting married now?”

Blaise roared with laughter and pounded Greg on the back. “Perhaps give them a few months to try dating first!”

Draco shook his head, breaking free from his kiss to smirk at Blaise. “Oh no! I'm not letting him get away so easily! Now that I have him here, I'm  _ keeping _ him! He's MINE!”

“Alllll...” Harry trailed off before swallowing nervously and taking a deep breath. “Alright then. Let's do this.”

Deeply and rather inappropriately amused, the Officiant returned to the beginning and led them through his prayers and their vows. THIS time when he asked if there were any objections, the entire audience inhaled a deep breath and looked around to see if anyone would have the audacity to stop their Savior from getting married, even to a man. Even to a former Death Eater!

But no one did.

After a heavy moment that felt much too long to those holding their breaths (which was everyone, including Harry and Draco), they were finally pronounced Husband and Husband and given permission to kiss (again). At that point, both men couldn't help but feel a moment of panic over what they'd just done – so impetuously! – but that panic completely melted away as they kissed. Both were left with the hope that this might just work out after all.


End file.
